Record changer spindle



O 1, 1950 v H. E. F. c. LINGENBVRINK 2,530,435

7 RECORD CHANGER SPINDLE Filed Jan; 7, 1948 Patentecl Nov. 21, 1950 U N lT ED STATES PAT E N T OF F RECORD CHANGER SPINDLE Hermann E. F. C. Lingenbrink, Hilltown,.l?a.,. as-

signor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 98-7 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to phonograph apparatus and, particularly, to phonograph spindles of the type adapted to support records above the turntable, as is shown, for example, in- Patent No. 2,374,080, issued to Colin B. Dale. More specifically, the invention has to do with improvements in the construction of a spindle of the general type above-mentioned.

A spindle of this kind is provided with an up-, per end portion which is adapted to pass through the center hole of the records, and usually has a shoulder arranged to engage and to support the records at their center. The spindle is disposed for cooperation with a record-edge supporting structure which is associated with suitable mechanism for laterally moving the lowermost record to dislodge it from the shoulder. The dislodged record is then free to slide down the shank of the spindle and to drop in playing position on the turntable. In order to prevent the discharge of records other than the lowermost record, the spindle is further provided with an element which is arranged cooperatively with the shoulder and which has a portion normally projecting into engagement with the next higher record to prevent lateral movement thereof, when the lowermost record is moved. The mentioned element is so constructed and arranged that it is displaceable, by upward movement of the records after the playing thereof, to a position in which it permits upward movement of the records along the full length of the spindle. The provision of an element, constructed and arranged as above stated, has the recognized advantage that the played records can be conveniently and easily removed, in a group, from the turntable without necessitating removal of the spindle from its mounting. However, it has been found that the provision of a displaceable element on the spindle meets with certain dimculties which arise, chiefly, from the fact that the limited space available for the mounting and for the operation of the element complicates the construction and the assembly of the parts. For instance, it has been proposed to mount the displaceable element for sliding movement in a groove which is provided in the upper portion of the spindle, the element being slidably retained in the groove by means of a pin or pins passing through an aperture or apertures in said portion of the spindle and through a slot or slots in said element. Because the overall size of the mentionedelement must, of necessity, be small, the provision of slots in such an element involves careful handling and difiicult boring or cutting operations. Also, the fact that apertures in the spindle and slots in the displaceable element must be brought and vheld in registration, so that pins may be placed in engagement with the parts, makes the assembly a tedious and complicated one.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this in-- vention to eliminate the aforesaid difliculties and complications, by the provision of a spindle construction which simplifies manufacture and facilitates assembly of the parts. To that end, the spindle structure is of such a character that the displaceable element can be easily made and readily associated with the spindle.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a spindle construction of the above-mentioned character in which the parts cooperate in a novel manner to maintain the displaceableelement in proper position for operative movement on the spindle. In accordance with this object of the invention, the required clearance for free but limited movement of the displaceable element is 1 which they are obtained, will be fully understood from the following description based on the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a: spindle constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged sectional view, taken substantially along lines 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged elevational-sectional View of the upper portion of the spindle shown in Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is an exploded View of the portion shown in Figure 3, and illustrates the construction and mode of assembling the individual parts.

With more particular reference to the drawing, the spindle, as shown in Figure 1, is provided with a straight lower portion 50 and with a curved or bent upper portion H. The lower portion of the spindle is provided with a reduced section. I2 which is adapted, in the'customary manner, for association with the usual turntable, and which terminates with a suitable extension (not shown) for fixedly mounting the spindle in position, for instance, as shown in the hereinabove identified Dale patent.

The mentioned upper portion of the spindle terminates with an offset extension !-3, providing a shoulder [4 for supporting the records at their center. In practice, the marginal edge of shoulder [4 is slightly rounded to protect the supported records against excessive wear. An ele- 6 ment, indicated, generally, at I5, is associated with said extension I3 to provide a second shoulder I6 which normally lies in a position opposite that of shoulder I I and above the latter, at a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a record. The length of extension I3, which projects above shoulder I4, is sufficient to accommodate the stack of records to be played, and the cross-sectional dimension of extension i3 and element I5 is such that said extension and element fit in the center opening of the records in the supported stack. Moreover, the diameter of the straight and of the curved or bent portions of the spindle is slightly less than the diameter of the center hole of the records, so that when the lowermost record is discharged from the shoulder It, the record is free to slide along said portions and to drop in proper playing position on the turntable with which the spindle is associated. It is to be noted that whereas the lowermost record, because of the spacing between shoulders it and I6, is free to slide laterally and off shoulder I4, movement of the other superposed record or records, in the stack, is restrained by the portion of element I5 which occupies the center hole of said other record or records.

Since, in use, the spindle is to be fixedly mounted with respect to the turntable, and because the spacing between the ofiset shoulders I 3 and IE is slightly greater than the thickness of one record, it will be understood that removal of several records, as a group, from the turntable and out of engagement with the spindle, would be interfered with by shoulder IE. To overcome this inconvenience, the element I5 is mounted for movement relatively to the spindle and is adapted to be displaced by contact of shoulder IS with the record stack being removed. In this manner, the shoulder I6 follows the movement of the records, as they are removed, and element I5 assumes a position which allows the records to slip readily oh the spindle.

The basic arrangement and general operation, above described, are similar to those covered in the aforesaid Dale patent and, therefore, they form no part of this invention except insofar as they are related to the improved constructional features and novel association of elements, which will now be described with particular reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In accordance with the present invention, the mounting of element I5 for sliding movement on spindle extension I3, is accomplished by providing means which embraces and overlies portions of said extension and element, and means which limiting means cooperate with each other and with the element and associated portions of the spindle, to effect their assembly in a unitary structure.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the embracing means consists of a. band having the form of a tubular sleeve II. This band or sleeve, as more clearly shown in Figure 2, fits over and encircles a portion of extension I3 and lies over a slot I8 which is provided in said portion of the extension and which receives the element I5. The slot I8 is disposed radially of extension I3 and, as best seen in Figure 2, opens in a direction opposite to the direction in which shoulder I4 projects. As more clearly shown in Figure 3, the slot extends from the upper tip of 4 spindle extension I3 to a point substantially on a level with shoulder I4, and the lower part of the slotted portion of said extension is tapered, as indicated at I9, to expose the portion of element I5 which provides shoulder I6.

In the form illustrated, the movement limiting means for element I5 comprises abutments cooperatively disposed on said element and on a corresponding portion of extension I3. For that purpose, the element I5 takes the form of an elongated and substantially fiat member 20 which fits edgewise in slot I8 for rectilinear sliding movement therein. The inner edge of the member has a cutaway portion providing a receded edge 2% which defines upper and lower abutments in the form of spaced substantially confronting shoulders 22 and 23. These abutments or shoulders are disposed for engagement with an abutment, in the form of a pin 24, which is arranged on the spindle extension I3 and which projects into the slot I8 and within the space between said abutments or shoulders 22 and 23. The pin :24 is conveniently mounted in an aperture 25 which is provided in the extension I3 and adjacent the tip thereof. This aperture opens into the slot I8 and extends in confronting relationship with receded edge '2! of said member 2a. This particular arrangement advantageously provides for proper clearance between the slidable member 26 and the retaining sleeve I! and base of slot I3, it being understood that such clearance is determined by the depth to which the pin is driven into aperture 25 and, consequently, the distance to which the end of the pin projects into slot I8. Moreover, the arrangement advantageously serves to guide member 20 in its rectilinear sliding movement, because the end of the pin, which confronts the receded edge 2I of the member, and the portion of the sleeve,

5 which confronts the opposite edge of said member, cooperate to provide opposed surfaces between which the member slides. Also, these surfaces effectively cooperate with the base and the side walls of the slot I8 to prevent any undue lateral, as well as edgewise displacement of the member during its sliding movement.

In practice, the pin 24 is such that, when properly positioned in the aperture 25, it leaves a recess 26 (Figure 3) at the periphery of the spindle extension I3 and, thus, provides means for receiving an indentation 21 which projects from the inner face of the sleeve, and which serves to lock said sleeve in position. In order to facilitate location of the sleeve in proper position on the extension I3, the end portion of said extension is circumferentially reduced to provide a narrow ledge 28 upon which the lower marginal edge of the sleeve abuts. In practice, the width of the ledge 28 is substantially equal to the thickness of the sleeve so as to eliminate the presence of laterally protruding ridges where the sleeve joins with the spindle extension.

With particular reference to Figure 3, it will be apparent that the assembled parts mutually cooperate to maintain one another in proper relationship. As hereinbefore mentioned, the sleeve I7, the pin 26 and the walls of slot I8 cooperate to retain and to guide the movable member 23. Moreover, it is important to note that the indentation 27 in sleeve II and the edge 2I of member 25], which indentation and edge are arranged in confronting relationship with the opposite ends of pin 24, serve to retain said pin, should it become loose in aperture 25.

The parts, which have been described in their assembled relationship, are separately shown in Figure 4 and, from this figure, it is apparent that the parts can be readily assembled in cooperative relationship. For instance, it will be seen that the pin 24 can be conveniently positioned in aperture 25, as indicated by arrow A, member 2t inserted in slot [8, as indicated by arrows B, and sleeve ll slipped onto the spindle extension l3, as indicated by arrow C. In the form shown, the tubular sleeve I! is adapted to fit snugly about the spindle extension l3 and, in that case, it is found desirable to strike the indentation 2'! after the sleeve is in its final position. However, it will be understood that the sleeve can be of the split resilient type, in which event the indentation can be preformed on the sleeve.

In operation, the member 20 normally is in the position shown, in full lines, in Figure 3. In that position, upper abutment or shoulder 22 rests on pin 25, and member 23 is thereby supported to locate shoulder E6 in proper relation to shoulder Ht for effecting the support of the records on the spindle from which they are to be successively discharged, by function of the usual push-off mechanism. When a stack of played records is removed from the turntable and is lifted along the spindle, the stack comes in contact with shoulder l6 and, with continued lifting movement of the stack, the member 20 is raised substantially to the position indicated, in broken lines, in Figure 3. In that latter position, the portion which provides shoulder I6, disappears within the slot I8 and, thus, allows the stack of records to pass, unobstructedly, out of engagement with the spindle. Since the function of lower abutment or shoulder I3 is primarily to prevent disengagement or removal of member 29 from slot it, this shoulder 23 need not be arranged to contact pin 24, when member '20 reaches its uppermost position. In fact, in order to insure freedom of the raising movement of member 20, it is preferred that said shoulder 23 be intentionally disposed to avoid striking the pin during removal of the record. As soon as the stack of records passes beyond the point where the slot encloses shoulder it, the member 28 falls, under the influence of its own weight, to its normal position so that the spindle is again ready to receive and to support records, in the manner above stated.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the particular construction and combination of elements which go into the making of the improved spindle, provide a simple yet eifective arrangement for supporting records, at their center, and for allowing ready and convenient removal of played records, as a group, without interference by the spindle.

I claim:

1. In a spindle for supporting a stack of records above the turntable of an automatic phonograph, a portion having a shoulder for supporting the records at their center and also having a slot with its base in substantially perpendicular relation to said shoulder, a member slidable along the base of said slot for cooperative relation with said shoulder and normally protruding into engagement with the next higher record to prevent lateral movement thereof when the lowermost 7 record is moved, said member being retractable into said slot when subjected to upwardly directed forces, a pair of spaced abutments pro vided on said member and extending in close proximity to the base of said slot, a stop element projecting into said slot from the base thereof and disposed between said abutments for contact therewith to limit the sliding movement of said member, and a sleeve embracing said portion and passing over said slot and member therein to retain and to guide the latter in the slot. 7

2. In a spindle for supporting a stack of records above the turntable of an automatic phonograph, a lower portion constructed to extend centrally through the turntable, an upper portion having an extension providing a surface upon which the records may seat and from which they may be successively discharged by lateral displacement of the lowermost record, said extensionhaving a slot disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to said surface, and also having an aperture opening into said slot, an elongated member received in said slot for longitudinal sliding displacement therein, said member having a portion providing a second shoulder to the side of and above the first-mentioned shoulder and normally disposed at a distance therefrom slightly greater than the thickness of a record to prevent the discharge of records other than the lowermost record, said member further having a pair of relatively spaced abutments, a a pin received in the aperture in said extension and having one end portion enclosed in said aperture and one end portion projecting into the slot and within the space between said abutments for engagement therewith to limit the sliding movement of said member, the enclosed end portion of the pin being disposed to leave a part of the aperture opened to provide a recess at the periphery of the said extension, and a tubular sleeve encircling said extension and overlying said slot and member therein to retain said member on the extension, said sleeve having an indentation disposed in said recess to lock the sleeve on said extension and projecting to a point adjacent the enclosed end of the pin to serve as means for preventing outward dislodgement of said pin.

3. In a spindle for supporting a stack of records above the turntable of an automatic phonograph, a portion having a shoulder for supporting the records at their center and also having a slot with its walls in substantially perpendicular relation to said shoulder, a member slidable along the walls of said slot for cooperative relation with said shoulder and normally protruding into engagement with the next higher record to prevent lateral movement thereof when the lowermost record is moved, said member bein retractable into said slot when subjected to upwardly directed forces, a pair of spaced abutments provided on said member and extending in close proximity to one wall of said slot, a stop element projecting into said slot from said one wall thereof and disposed between said abutments for contact therewith to limit the sliding movement of said member, and a sleeve embracing said portion and passing over said slot and member therein to retain and to guide the latter in the slot.

HERMANN E. F. C. LINGENBRINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Faulkner Feb. 21, 1950 

